Hi all....
I was wondering if any of you could help me out with some words of wisdom...
I am Australian, have a BA (English) and 2 years EFL teaching experience in New York and speak Spanish. I am planning to head to Mexico in August.
I have heard so many different stories and was hoping someone could give me some realistic advice on my prospects of getting a job down there. If I go on a tourist visa can I organize an FM3 there?
Also, has does anyone know anything about IAAP- they have tentatively offered me a position in Los Mochis.
Any advice would be greatly appreciated.
Gracias,
Alicia

I don't think you should have any trouble, you're qualified, have experience, you speak Spanish and are a native English speaker - all plus points. I think early August is the best time to come. I've heard from a number of schools that they're not looking for teacher until then.

If you have a strong accent, and the fact that you're not American are small negative points. I think I've been descriminated against, by an American DOS, because of my nationality. You take it on the chin and move on...

I'm interested to hear what horror stories you've heard, maybe we can tell you if they're true or not.

I agree with dduck. With your qualifications and experience, you shouldn't have any problems finding a job teaching EFL in Mexico.

As for the Ozzie accent, in some parts of the country, it might cause a slight problem for you, but I really don't know. In the city where I live, I've taught with teachers from Canada, New Zealand, Australia, Jamaica, England, Scotland, and the USA. Obviously, they all managed to find teaching jobs.

I've noticed that when people from the British Council come to our corner of the country and the subject of non-American English comes up, they become quite defensive. This leads me to believe that in some other parts of the country, a non-American accent might be less popular than an American one.

If a school director gives you a hassle about your native accent, it's probably not the type of school you'd want to work for anyway.

To answer your visa question, the standard way of doing it is to enter the country on a tourist visa. Then after you secure a position, you apply for a work visa (FM3.) Both you and the employer have to supply information to immigration in more or less of a joint effort to get your work visa. Don't lose your tourist visa. You'll need to turn it in to immigration as part of the process of getting your work visa.

[quote="Ben Round de Bloc"]I've noticed that when people from the British Council come to our corner of the country and the subject of non-American English comes up, they become quite defensive. This leads me to believe that in some other parts of the country, a non-American accent might be less popular than an American one.
quote]

That last sentence, are there one too many negatives in it? If not I'm confused.

"This leads me to believe that in some other parts of the country, a non-American accent might be less popular than an American one."
- Been Round de Bloc

That last sentence, are there one too many negatives in it? If not I'm confused.

- dduck

Restated but saying the same thing: An American accent might be more popular than a non-American accent in some parts of the country, but I don't think this is necessarily true in Yucatan.

In Merida, where I live, people tend to accept all types of native-English accents. From what I've heard, however, in many other parts of the country, American accents are more popular than non-American accents. In other words, in some other parts of the country ("some other parts" meaning some places other than Yucatan,) an American English accent is more popular than a non-American English accent.

I was confused because I was expecting you to say something else. Saying that American accents are more popular in some areas of Mexico, was just too obvious for my brain to comprehend.

- dduck

My apologies. When I first came to Mexico to teach, I also thought American accents would be in more demand (which is probably true if one looks at the entire country in general.) Then I began working at a state university, one of those state universities under the guidance of the British Council. Suddenly, it was British textbooks, exams, and cassettes, and local Mexican university EFL teachers attempting to speak with British accents. What was obvious to me about 8 years ago somehow no longer registered as obvious when I wrote that post.